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Sweet dreams. How the doughnut diagram works to preempt more radical approaches to planning

Winter, Karin LU (2026) In Planning Theory
Abstract

Doughnut Economics has become an important model for planning, often assumed to offer a better, more sustainable approach. This article engages with such assumptions by critically interrogating the radical potential of doughnut planning. It does this through examining the doughnut diagram, which conceptualizes core ideas of Doughnut Economics, and by relating these to discussions in planning. The analysis draws on Lacanian thought and extends the psychoanalytic approach to include visual representations in planning. It shows that the doughnut diagram forecloses ways of seeing and enjoying that more fundamentally could challenge mainstream planning. Assuming the doughnut diagram is shaping doughnut planning, this leads to the conclusion... (More)

Doughnut Economics has become an important model for planning, often assumed to offer a better, more sustainable approach. This article engages with such assumptions by critically interrogating the radical potential of doughnut planning. It does this through examining the doughnut diagram, which conceptualizes core ideas of Doughnut Economics, and by relating these to discussions in planning. The analysis draws on Lacanian thought and extends the psychoanalytic approach to include visual representations in planning. It shows that the doughnut diagram forecloses ways of seeing and enjoying that more fundamentally could challenge mainstream planning. Assuming the doughnut diagram is shaping doughnut planning, this leads to the conclusion that this planning model works against more far-reaching ambitions of some of the planners rallying around it.

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Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
epub
subject
keywords
diagram, doughnut, enjoyment, lacan, planning
in
Planning Theory
publisher
SAGE Publications
external identifiers
  • scopus:105037679334
ISSN
1473-0952
DOI
10.1177/14730952261448510
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
d90dd651-1d4e-4cda-a4f7-c4744cfada23
date added to LUP
2026-08-17 11:55:02
date last changed
2026-08-17 11:56:19
@article{d90dd651-1d4e-4cda-a4f7-c4744cfada23,
  abstract     = {{<p>Doughnut Economics has become an important model for planning, often assumed to offer a better, more sustainable approach. This article engages with such assumptions by critically interrogating the radical potential of doughnut planning. It does this through examining the doughnut diagram, which conceptualizes core ideas of Doughnut Economics, and by relating these to discussions in planning. The analysis draws on Lacanian thought and extends the psychoanalytic approach to include visual representations in planning. It shows that the doughnut diagram forecloses ways of seeing and enjoying that more fundamentally could challenge mainstream planning. Assuming the doughnut diagram is shaping doughnut planning, this leads to the conclusion that this planning model works against more far-reaching ambitions of some of the planners rallying around it.</p>}},
  author       = {{Winter, Karin}},
  issn         = {{1473-0952}},
  keywords     = {{diagram; doughnut; enjoyment; lacan; planning}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{SAGE Publications}},
  series       = {{Planning Theory}},
  title        = {{Sweet dreams. How the doughnut diagram works to preempt more radical approaches to planning}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/14730952261448510}},
  doi          = {{10.1177/14730952261448510}},
  year         = {{2026}},
}